Image: www.freefoto.com
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for this vision of biofuels. First and foremost, I would like to pass on Tineke Huizinga's apologies. She would like to have been here today, however, sometimes a minister's time is under just as much pressure as the defence of the Dutch football team!
I understand that you had a lively and interesting debate this afternoon about the role of biofuels in our transition to a sustainable energy supply. My thanks to Netherlands Petroleum Industry Association (Vereniging Nederlandse Petroleum Industrie, VNPI) for this initiative.
Image: www.freefoto.com
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for this vision of biofuels. First and foremost, I would like to pass on Tineke Huizinga's apologies. She would like to have been here today, however, sometimes a minister's time is under just as much pressure as the defence of the Dutch football team!
I understand that you had a lively and interesting debate this afternoon about the role of biofuels in our transition to a sustainable energy supply. My thanks to Netherlands Petroleum Industry Association (Vereniging Nederlandse Petroleum Industrie, VNPI) for this initiative.
I will study these conclusions in detail, as our thinking about biofuels and their role in our sustainable energy supply is always changing. That applies not only to the business community, knowledge institutes, and civil-society organisations, but also to the government.
In light of this, I am delighted to see that this subject was presented to and discussed by such a wide audience here today.
We all face enormous challenges for the coming decades: the responsibility for a stable, clever and fair global energy supply and the need to tackle the climate crisis.
By means of the EU renewable energy directive, we established the target to reach a 20% share in renewable energy by 2020 and a share of at least 10% in the transport sector by 2020. I am convinced that we can achieve these targets sustainably and responsibly. I am also convinced that biofuels can play a key role in this.
At the end of May, the Minister informed the Lower House of the Dutch Parliament of the target for transport over the coming years. This year, the Netherlands has a national target of a 4% share of biofuels for road traffic. As you know, the Dutch government will increase these national targets step-by-step each year.
In doing so, it is essential that we are able to guarantee the sustainability of the biofuels.
That is also central to the EU directive. According to the European Commission, 10% of the biofuels for the transport sector must originate from plant-based sources, to which strict requirements will apply. In the words of EU Commissioner Oettinger, "Our certification scheme is the most stringent in the world and will make sure that our biofuels meet the highest environmental standards."
In light of recent communication with the European Commission it is now more than clear that biofuels must be truly sustainable. This rules out felling trees in primeval and secondary forests and cultivation in nature reserves, wetlands and sites which are important for biodiversity. Producers must also consider improvements in prosperity and welfare for poor communities in particular.
The Committee also wants industry, governments and NGOs to draw up certificates and reports which are reliable and fraud-proof. Additionally, independent inspections must be carried out along the entire production chain - ‘from farmer to factory' and ‘from dealer to petrol pump'.
Both within Europe and internationally, the Netherlands is a leader in the promotion of sustainable biofuels and the implementation of sustainability criteria. The VNPI serves as an excellent example of why this is the case.
Only a month ago, the sector and Minister Huizinga signed a declaration of intent, in which we established that by 2010 we would begin collating information on a voluntary basis regarding the nature and origin of biofuels, in anticipation of the 2011 legislation.
Now, a couple of weeks later, here I am at a symposium organised by your association to discuss the very same subject.
You can draw two conclusions from this. Firstly, the VNPI is making great headway in the promotion and use of sustainable biofuels. Secondly, your chair, Mr Boot, has cultivated an excellent working relationship with my ministry within a short period of time.
In my view, your vision of biofuel development, especially as regards second generation biofuels, offers support for the government's policy. To put it informally: thumbs up to biofuels, but only if they are sustainable!
Over the last few years, it has become increasingly clear that the use of biofuels also has its disadvantages, both for humans and the environment. Critical reports on issues including deforestation, pressure on biodiversity and competition with food crops were the focus.
During that time a decision was taken in the Netherlands not to make changes to the biofuel-blending policy that had proven to be a success. I know that this led to uncertainty on the biofuel market and I appreciate the problems experienced by some investors and companies in the sector both then and now. However, I think we are in agreement that further growth of the biofuels market is dependent on support from the government and society. In some cases, there was either not enough information regarding the negative impact on the environment and humans or the impact was irresponsibly high.
In signing the declaration of intent you have demonstrated that corporate social responsibility is high on your agenda. In producing reports about the sustainability of the biofuels you have brought onto the market, you will take an important step forward regarding transparency as well as in generating additional support for responsible and sustainable biofuels. The first reports were submitted to the Netherlands Emission Authority (NEa) last Monday and I hope to publish the first report soon.
In achieving this we are ahead of schedule regarding the legal implementation of the EU directive for renewable energy in 2011.
I set great store by the sustainability criteria and achieving their adoption in the EU was a great success. I understand that during the debate this afternoon, the indirect changes in land use were discussed. As I said earlier, biofuels have to be truly sustainable. It has to be watertight. For this reason, I want to put all our efforts into complementing the sustainability requirements with measures to prevent indirect changes in land use.
If we can achieve this, the negative consequences that are currently so heavily discussed will be tackled and a bright future will await truly sustainable and responsible biofuels.
Now that I have reached the end of my speech, I would like to pass on a clear message: you can all take initiatives to further promote sustainability. Only if sustainability can be guaranteed, can we allow the volume of biofuels to further increase. Corporate social responsibility serves as the catalyst for expanding the biofuels market. I believe this offers excellent opportunities for the future. Implementing biofuels will help us on our difficult, yet necessary journey to achieving a sustainable energy supply, tackling the climate crisis and halting the loss of biodiversity.
Furthermore, the sustainability criteria can also serve as an example of ‘good practice' for other products and production chains.
And finally, ladies and gentlemen.
My ministry is pursuing the continued development of sustainable biofuels, i.e. those that meet with the clear requirements regarding humans and the environment. The government looks forward to doing this in collaboration with you, the business community, civil-society organisations and knowledge institutes.
We recently asked the Corbey Commission to investigate the possibility of establishing a higher target than the directive's current aim of a 10% share of renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020. I am expecting their recommendation in September. I sincerely hope that the new government takes advantage of this and will give its all for the green cause!
Thank you.
Source: VROM
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